Painted Glass Shade - A Metallic Makeover

Hi there!  Today, a little light fixture makeover that made a big difference in my room.

This project is kinda fun in that there are two 'before' versions.  Here's the story.

In my rustic Tuscon adobe house, there's a natural-log loft above the living room.  The two fixtures under there were not right at all!  But I wasn't sure what I wanted, so for years there they hung, looking like Cutesy and Kitsch (two of the lesser-known Dwarfs).

BEFORE, PART I:

See what I mean?  Meh.  Not terrible, but just not in harmony with the wood elements.

Then recently, I found a couple of potentially nice, mass-produced fixtures on sale.

BEFORE, PART II

Hmm...maybe!  I liked the curvy branch base and the dark bronze color.  My hopes were high and I bought them.  My husband installed one, I stood back to look, and...

NOPE NOPE NOPE.  I hated it!  The ruffly glass mini-shades looked like those other guys, Silly and Wimpo.  And too starkly pale against the wood.

My poor long suffering husband took it down.  I almost marched those fixtures right back to the store.  Then I had a crafty little thought.

I took the glass shades off and hung them up outside.  Grabbed some dark bronze colored spray paint...

They got about four thin coats of paint.  Plus a light blast on the inside.

Now check out what a difference it made!

THE AFTER

It almost looks like the shades are made of the fixture's bronze wrought iron, doesn't it?  I think it is awwwesome.  (And for realsies, it looks like it cost way more than I paid.)

Tip: if you're using hot incandescent bulbs, you should probably use a high heat spray paint (although colors are very limited with those), OR use glass paint from a craft/art supply store.  But for modern, low wattage bulbs, a basic good quality spray paint works just fine.

Have any of you ever tried painting a glass shade?  It never occurred to me before, but now it's definitely something I'm going to have fun with.  Point me to the nearest boring tulip shade and stand back!